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ARTS EDUCATION
Teacher Handbook
THEATRE
ARTS
ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK:
THEATRE ARTS
September 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click on any of the following links to access sections of the Teacher
Handbook. (If you are viewing this document in PDF format or have ordered
a print copy through NCDPI Publications, you will not be able to access links,
but will view the content in its entirety as one document.)
Page
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 3-4
LESSON PLANS
• Introduction to Lesson Plans ............................................................................ 5
• Elementary Lessons
o Movement Adventure ......................................................................... 6-10
(See assessment item that aligns with this lesson plan)
o Israel................................................................................................. 11-14
o Writing a Scene with North Carolina History .................................... 15-18
• Middle School Lessons
o Scene Writing ................................................................................... 19-22
o Rhythmic Expression ....................................................................... 23-24
• High School Lessons
o Garbage Bag Costume Creations....................................................... 25-27
o Writing a Monologue........................................................................ 28-31
o Costume and Make-up Shakespeare Style ......................................... 32-35
(See assessment item that aligns with this lesson plan)
o Studying the American Musical Theatre ........................................... 36-38
2
ASSESSMENT ITEMS
Page
• Introduction to Classrooms Assessments .................................................. 39-41
• Elementary Assessments
o Writing a Scene with North Carolina History .................................... 42-46
(See lesson plan that aligns with this assessment item)
• Middle School Assessments
o (None provided by teachers at this time)
• High School Assessments
o Costume and Make-up Shakespeare Style ......................................... 47-49
(See lesson plan that aligns with this assessment item)
TIPS
(None provided by teachers at this time)
RESOURCES
• Print
(None provided by teachers at this time)
• Web Resources
(None provided by teachers at this time)
• Resources that Assist With or Demonstrate Curriculum Integration
(None provided by teachers at this time)
3
INTRODUCTION
The Teacher Handbook for Theatre Arts Education is available through NCDPI
Publications and online in PDF and HTML formats. The handbook will be revised and
updated as additional information is received or developed.
The PDF (print-friendly) and HTML versions of the Teacher Handbook, which include a
bank of lesson plans and assessment items that were developed by arts education teachers
in North Carolina, may be accessed online at: http://www.publicschools.org (click on
"Curriculum," then "Arts Education," then Resources.). The HTML version of the
Teacher Handbook allows viewers to link to various sections of interest within the
document.
Those interested in contributing a lesson plan, assessment item, or other material to
the Teacher Handbook should visit: www.learnnc.org/dpi/instserv.nsf (click on “visual
arts education,” click on “news and happenings,” click on “help us create the NEW
Teacher Handbook),” to read more about this opportunity and to access templates for
lesson plans, assessment items, resources, and other information. For questions or further
information about the Teacher Handbook, please contact Bryar Ted Cougle, Arts
Education Consultant, NCDPI, at 919-807-3855 or tcougle@dpi.state.nc.us.
Overview
The Teacher Handbook for Theatre Arts Education was created to assist teachers with the
implementation of the North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course of Study and
Grade Level Competencies, K-12 (SCS). The SCS was revised through the cooperation
and assistance of individuals and groups throughout the state and was approved by the
State Board of Education in December of 2000. The implementation year for the SCS is
2002-2003. The SCS will be regularly revised and improved to meet the needs of the
students of North Carolina.
Standard Course of Study
Based on the National Standards for Arts Education, the SCS describes what students
should know and be able to do as the result of instruction at each grade level or course in
each of the four arts areas: dance, music, theatre arts and visual arts. The SCS was
generated to provide a foundation for teachers and curriculum specialists in each school
system to develop classes or courses and instructional strategies. Objectives in the SCS
describe content and skills that are not limited to particular materials or methodologies,
but that can be delivered through multiple approaches or materials. The SCS may be
accessed online: www.ncpublicschools.org (click on Curriculum) or purchased through
NCDPI Publications.
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Teacher Handbook
The Teacher Handbook for Theatre Arts Education is a supplement to the SCS. This
teacher handbook provides teachers with some ideas of how particular goals and
objectives may be addressed in the classroom. This document is not intended to be
comprehensive or sequential, but rather, to illustrate some possible ways to help
implement the SCS. Because specific objectives are not taught in isolation, it may be
noted that both lesson plans and assessment items correlate with multiple goals and
objectives, often within and across the arts and/or other content areas. The teacher
handbook is in development; so as new lessons, assessment items, or other sections are
developed, they will be added to this resource.
Thank you to the teachers in North Carolina who
developed these plans, assessments, and ideas to
support teachers across our state! Your willingness
and generosity to give permission for your items to
be shared in this Teacher Handbook are greatly
appreciated.
5
INTRODUCTION TO LESSON PLANS
The lessons contained in the Teacher Handbook were developed for teachers by teachers.
You may access lesson plans by grade span and individual plans within each span. This
database of lesson plans may be added to as further plans are developed. Those
interested in contributing lesson plans to the Teacher Handbook should contact Bryar Ted
Cougle, Arts Education Consultant, NCDPI, at 919-807-3855 or tcougle@dpi.state.nc.us.
The lesson plans developed are organized in the following format: Title; Grade Level or
Course; Time Allotment; Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina
Arts Education Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12;
Targeted concepts or skills from other Content Areas; Alignment with the NC High
School Exit Exam; Lesson Objective(s); Materials/Equipment Needed; Lesson
Procedure; Assessment; and Special Considerations. Some lesson plans are linked to
particular assessment items. These lessons are noted in the table of contents and within
the lessons themselves.
The lesson plans are not designed to be used as a step-by-step “cookie cutter” approach to
implementing the SCS, but rather as a starting point to help teachers see how particular
goals and objectives from the SCS may be implemented in the classroom. Perhaps a
teacher reading through one of the lesson plans may use the plan as a place to begin with
when mapping his/her course of study for students. Lessons should be modified to meet
the individual learning needs of students within the classroom.
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ELEMENTARY LESSON PLANS
Submitted by Sandra Dreis
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Lesson Title:
Movement Adventure
Grade Level or Course:
Kindergarten
Time Allotment:
30 Minutes
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education
Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:
1.02 Retell stories through guided dramatic play from text read aloud.
2.03 Role-play a variety of real and non-real characters through guided dramatic play.
2.05 Imitate teacher guided improvisation
3.06 Imagine a variety of real and non-real environments
4.02 Imitate the sounds and movements of objects, animals and people.
6.03 Participation in and use the art form of pantomime
6.02 Use sound, movement and drawing through dramatic play
8.04 Participate in creative drama
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study
and Grade Level Competencies, K-12 for other content areas:
Social Studies :
1.01 Participate constructively in school and classroom activities
Second language goals:
2.03 Follow oral directions and commands
2.04 Demonstrate understanding of spoken key words in a variety of materials…short
narratives, simple rhymes and cartoons.
Mathematics Goals and Objectives:
2.04 Model and use directional and positional words.
Language Arts:
3.01 Connect information and events in text to experience.
Guidance Objectives:
7.04 distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behaviors
7.06 establish self control
Dance Objectives:
1.02 Demonstrate the element of space in dance through exploration.
1.04 Demonstrate the element of energy/dynamics in dance through exploration
2.05 Move alone and with others
3.01 Express ideas, feelings and stories through dance movement
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Music Objectives:
6.04 Respond through purposeful movement to prominent music characteristics
while listening to music
Lesson Objective(s):
To explore the use of pantomime to tell a story.
To demonstrate self control in the use of the physical space and in working with the
group.
To create an imaginary environment using gestures and the body with expressive
movement.
To explore using the body and not the voice to express action and feelings.
As part of the study of pantomime, students will practice their skills by exploratory
movement followed by a group pantomime of an "adventure". Teachers are free to
choose their unique "movement adventure" from a variety of sources. This lesson is
based on a simple outline of a camping adventure that is created from this teacher's
imagination. Two books that have inspired this tale are "Going on a Bear Hunt" and
"Blueberries for Sal". The lesson focus is not, however, on simply retelling the story, but
experiencing the tale through movement and mime.
A major objective of this lesson is allowing the children to explore the physical space
safely and cooperatively, respecting the space of others. This hands-on drama experience
will actively involve the global learners in the classroom and fully engage the
imaginations of the children.
Materials/Equipment Needed:
CD Player/tape player
Music of Mozart "A Little Night Music"
Any classical selection that builds to a lively pace
A tambourine or hand drum and a mallet
Lesson Procedure:
Warm-up and Introduction:
Have kindergarten students gather five at a time and sit crisscross-applesauce in front of
you. Have them check their posture and sit up tall "against a tree". Tell them that we are
going to go on a pretend adventure today. We will be using our bodies, but not our
voices, is a sentence to keep repeating as you go along. Ask they children to pretend that
their fingers are happy spiders and to move them up and down the imaginary web.
Model this for them. Tell them to demonstrate their very own spiders climbing up and
down their web. Instruct them to freeze their motion when you hit your drum. This is for
control. Remind them that when they hear the sound of the tambourine, they are always
to freeze.
Now demonstrate the pantomime task of eating an apple for them. Remove it from your
pocket or an imaginary tree. Feel it. Admire it. Wipe it on your clothes. Bite it. Chew it.
Enjoy it. And hold the core. Use the word "PANTOMIME' to describe your actions.
8
Have the children imitate your pantomime of the apple. Choose a volunteer to come up
and show their apple eating skills to the class. Ask the children to tell how they know it
was an apple. Talk about the following skills of pantomime:
􀂙 Where is the apple found?
􀂙 What size is the apple?
􀂙 What is the weight?
􀂙 How does it taste?
􀂙 What do we do with it when we are finished eating?
Part 2 - the Adventure:
Tell the children they are ready to go on the adventure.
Begin the CD music as accompaniment to the action. Remind them to use their bodies
and be aware of the their neighbor. Point out areas in the room that are "out of bounds".
Remind them not to touch their neighbor.
Have children find a space to lie on the floor as if asleep. You say "WAKE UP YOU
SLEEPY HEADS!" 'TIME TO STRETCH AND GET UP FOR OUR CAMPING TRIP".
Now the teacher can describe out loud what you are seeing. Example: "Oh, I am seeing
some sleepyheads stretching and yawning over here". "Somebody in this corner is still
asleep!" Guide them into standing up in their space and looking into an imaginary mirror.
Now have them imitate you as you groom hair, dress, and brush you teeth. Have them put
on their rubber imaginary boots. Ask the children, who can raise their hands and tell me
what color your boots are? Everyone will want to tell you the color of their boots and this
is a good assessment question to determine if all the children are understanding the
activity.
Now have the children put on their backpacks. Tell them the packs are heavy. Now have
them raise their hands and respond to your question, "What is in the backpack that makes
it so heavy?" Then open one of the imaginary backpacks, and for fun, take out some
funny imaginary objects. Example: the cat, a television, a phone…and say…"we can't
take everything in the house!" This will make the children laugh and want to find
something of their own that is humorous. If there is time, you can have everyone take out
something extraneous from the "backpack". Now have them put the backpacks on, and
line up behind you.
The trail walk begins. You can change or elaborate on these suggested activities:
1. Model and have them tiptoe down the trail with flashlight in hand.
2. Demonstrate and have them trudge up the muddy hill slowly and carefully.
3. Have them walk side ways along the narrow mountain trail.
4. Have them duck down when flying bats approach.
5. Have them demonstrate sitting around a campfire in a circle and eat the lunch surprise
that is in their pack. Ask the students what they are eating.
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6. Have them march down the forest trail, picking berries and putting them in an
imaginary container. Tell them they will bring this back to someone at home who will
make a pie later.
7. Now have the children skip around a field of wild flowers. Tell them you will hit the
tambourine when they are to freeze. Play SKIP AND FREEZE.
8. Have children put their packs back on for the walk home. Along the way, tell them
you can hear the footstep of a _________. Use your drum quietly to make the sound
of the footsteps. Tell them when the ______approaches they had better duck. They
love to do this several times. You can say, "QUIET, I HEAR THE________(HIT
THE DRUM LOUDLY). It is important to tell them not to scream, or the
_________will find them! They enjoy this imaginary game.
9. Have them walk quietly to their seats, (HOME).
Tell them they can put their packs down quietly.
"DOESN'T IT FEEL GOOD TO BE HOME! For fun, you can ask, WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO MAKE WITH THOSE BLUEBERRIES?"
Conclusion:
Summarize the pantomime activities that the students accomplished in the "Movement
Adventure". This can be accomplished with a question and answer format.
Assessment:
Ask the children to describe their favorite part of the adventure.
Finish the lesson with other assessment activities such as drawing or painting a picture of
the imaginary adventure. Have them include a picture of themselves.
Follow - activity assessment to the lesson: Drawing or painting of the "adventure"
Art Assessment should include:
􀂙 Where are you? Is it light, or dark?
􀂙 What are you wearing? Is it cold or hot?
􀂙 What color is your backpack? Draw it.
􀂙 What did you make with the blueberries? Who helped you?
Special Considerations:
Other follow-up activities for this lesson are, on another day, bring some blueberries or
frozen blueberries to class for a cooking project, muffins are popular. Have a parent assist
you. Read Blueberries for Sal. Make and bake the muffins. Have a "Movement
Adventure" once again, perhaps a review of the lesson. Eat the muffins with the class!
10
Submitted by Diana L. Marshall-Shoaf
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Lesson Title:
Israel
Grade Level or Course:
Fourth Grade (Can be adapted for third or fifth grade)
Time Allotment:
One (35 minute) lesson introducing Israel and the Jewish faith.
One (35 minute) lesson exploring creative body movement using creative dramatic/dance
movement terminology.
One (35 minute) lesson introducing the creation story from the Bible in an original
(developed by teacher) script format.
One (35 minute) lesson improvising (acting out) with movement and vocalization the
narrated creation story from the Bible.*
*Note: This lesson could be rehearsed to develop a more formal presentation piece to be
shared with other students.
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education
Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:
2.01 Develop skills to identify characters and cast roles from a variety of texts that reflect
upon heritage, culture and history.
2.02 Utilize vocal expression to explore thoughts and feelings of real and non-real
characters.
2.05 Create dramatizations based on texts.
2.06 Demonstrate ideas and emotions through gestures and movement.
2.07 Assume the role of a variety of real and non-real characters.
2.08 Refine improvisational skills through dramatic
2.09 Define the significance of the beginning, middle and end of a story or play.
3.01 Participate in making artistic choices in a small group.
3.02 Employ the basic concepts of time, space, and action in the dramatic process
3.05 Respond to and build upon ideas of others on stage.
6.01 Incorporate music, sound, movement, dance, and design into the dramatic process.
7.01 Build skills to critique self and others in a respectful and constructive manner.
7.04 Listen to constructive criticism and react in a positive way.
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study
and Grade Level Competencies, K-12 for other content areas:
Dance – Fourth Grade:
1.01 Exhibit kinesthetic awareness: control, concentration, focus, and clarity of
movement.
Music – Fourth Grade:
6.04 Identify visually and aurally a variety of instruments, including many orchestra and
band instruments, and instruments from various cultures.
6.06 Respond through purposeful movement to selected prominent music characteristics
or to specific music events while listening to music.
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6.07 Show respect while listening to and analyzing music.
9.04 Identify and describe roles of musicians in various music settings and cultures.
9.05 Show respect for music from various cultures and historical periods.
English Language Arts – Fourth Grade:
2.02 Interact with the text before, during and after reading, listening and viewing by:
􀂾 Setting a purpose using prior knowledge and text information.
􀂾 Making predictions.
􀂾 Formulating questions.
􀂾 Locating relevant information
􀂾 Making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
Guidance - Fourth Grade:
1.01 Demonstrate pride in work and in achievement.
1.02 Justify mistakes as essential to the learning process.
1.03 Practice attitudes and behaviors which lead to successful learning.
1.04 Demonstrate time management and task management skills.
1.05 Verify responsibility for actions.
1.06 Demonstrate the ability to work independently, as well as the ability to work
cooperatively with other students.
1.08 Communicate knowledge with classmates and adults.
2.01 Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
Social Studies – Fourth Grade:
1.02 Describe the origins and characteristics of major groups that settled in North
Carolina and assess their influence on North Carolina customs.
Lesson Objective(s):
As a part of their study of Israel, students will develop confidence, individually and
cooperatively, with creative movement; using their bodies to dramatically create the nonliving
elements of the Biblical creation story.
Materials/Equipment Needed:
Resources from the media center or internet for culture introduction information, CD
player, CD of instrumental mood music for use with exploratory movement lesson, CD
of instrumental music from Israel for use with creation story movement lesson; visual
aids of clouds, planets, gas formations, etc. to help students visualize use of body in space
for imaginary movement, sheer colored fabric strips to support creative movement for
final lesson or use in a performance venue (material is optional but can be a motivating
prop for the students’ creative movement), hand drum for class control
Lesson Procedure:
Lesson 1
A. Inform students that they will have an opportunity to do an improvisation of a
creation story after an introduction to the culture from which the story is derived. The
assessment on the social studies portion could be a selected response developed by
the teacher from the instructional information presented to the students.
B. Resources for cultural information presented will be developed by the individual
teacher from internet or media center resources. Suggested text resource: Israel, The
Cultures of the World Series available through Borders Book or local libraries.
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Lesson 2
A. Provide students with examples of teacher modeled creative movement to
instrumental music.
B. Allow students to explore use of creative movement in an open space; individually,
with a partner, and/or in small groups.
C. Introduce creative dramatic/dance terminology to enhance quality of student
movement: slow/fast, large/small, open/closed, flowing/staccato, etc.
D. Conduct discussion of vocabulary words that describe the movement qualities of fire,
clouds, rain, gases, planets, etc.
E. Allow students to explore with body movement and sound the agreed upon
vocabulary.
Lesson 3
A. Read through of the original creation story script adapted from Genesis and provided
by the teacher.
B. Conduct discussion of the movement opportunities inherent in the text.
Lesson 4
A. As teacher (or student) narrates the creation story from the script, students explore the
movement inherent in the story with their bodies and vocalization.
B. Provide opportunities to repeat sections and/or to add the dance fabric to enhance the
lesson.
C. Further rehearse and define the creative movement of the group to the rhythm of the
narration, if the students are to present the work as process performance to other
students as audience.
Assessment:
Diagnostic – multiple choice quiz based on social studies information presented about
Israel.
Summative – Performance, Conversation, Observation
Student Performance could be video taped for classroom viewing and group assessment.
A rubric could be developed by the teacher, or the students and teacher, to evaluate the
quality of the movement.
Special Considerations:
This lesson could lead to a similar lesson developed about a Moslem country. The
creation story applied to the Islamic religion. Comparisons and contrasts discussed about
the Christian and Islamic religious beliefs.
13
Submitted by Julie Garber
Wake County Schools
Lesson Title:
Writing a Scene with NC History
Grade Level or Course:
Fourth Grade
Time Allotment:
One (45-60 minute) Introduction, discussion on American Revolution, & assigning
scenes
Two to three (45-60 minute) Lessons for practice and performance
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education
Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:
1.01 Participate in small group playwriting.
1.02 Create and enact short stories, poetry or personal experiences about North Carolina.
1.05 Utilize playwriting skills to indicate the sequence of events.
1.07 Apply playwriting skills by writing monologues, dialogues and short scenes.
2.01 Develop skills to identify characters and cast roles from a variety of texts that reflect
upon heritage, culture and history.
2.03 Participate in dramatic activities that deal with conflict and emotions.
2.04 Create characters and events to use in the dramatic process.
2.05 Create dramatizations based on texts.
2.07 Assume the role of a variety of real and non-real characters.
3.01 Participate in making artistic choices in a small group.
4.02 Demonstrate responsible behavior such as sharing, flexibility, negotiating and
teamwork.
4.03 Make decisions and accept responsibilities in the dramatic process.
4.05 Compromise with peers in small group decision making about artistic choices.
4.09 Recognize ways to display characters' thought processes.
4.10 Use rehearsal time effectively to brainstorm, experiment, plan and rehearse.
5.01 Express through characterization meaning inferred from a text.
5.06 Investigate text to determine Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
5.07 Reference forms of literature other than scripts to support dramatic presentations.
Lesson Objective(s):
Following along with their study of North Carolina, fourth graders will create a short
scene based on a NC history event. Students will improvise a scene based on the event,
improvise the creation, perform the scene for the class, and write the script. If possible,
the scripts can be typed using word processing. Students will use a rubric for group
evaluation. A separate rubric will be used for the evaluation of the script and the
performance.
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Materials/Equipment Needed:
Fourth grade Social Studies textbook for each student, clipboard, Building the Story
worksheet, notebook paper, pencils, chair or blocks for scene work, rubric for group
work, rubric for performance, rubric for script, access to computers, colonial costumes
(optional)
Lesson Procedure:
Lesson 1:
A. Remind them of how we’ve been acting out stories, including beginning, middle, end,
and character, setting, problem. Introduce to the students that they will be acting out
a true story. Since they are studying North Carolina in fourth grade, they will be
acting out a scene based on an event for NC history. The scenes will be from the
American Revolution time period. Before introducing the scenes that they will
volunteer for, begin with a basic discussion of the time period. We discussed why
Britain wanted to colonize, why the colonies wanted freedom from England, who the
loyalist and the patriots were, etc.
B. Introduce the scenes from the textbook that they can volunteer for with a general
overview. (Choose scenes from your textbook with a definable problem that will
useful for dramatic interpretation. Using the fourth grade social studies textbook for
Wake County Schools, I chose the Lost Colony, Culpepper’s Rebellion, the Edenton
Tea Party, and the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge.) Ask for volunteers for each
scene and then send them off to a separate area in the room with their group
members. The size of the groups will vary based on the scenes.
C. Pass out the Group Work Rubric, Script Rubric, and Performance Rubric and discuss
how each one will be used to grade their work.
Lesson 2:
A. In their groups, they will first read silently their assigned historical event in the
textbook. Remind them of the Group Work Rubric they will use to evaluate their
work. Next as a group, give them three minutes to discuss the event defining all the
characters, the setting (location and time period), the objective of the main characters,
and the problem. We have defined the objective as what a character wants and a
problem as what gets in the way. Then, give them another three minutes to
brainstorm how they could act out the event. (For example, can you act out the whole
event or just part of it? Where will you begin before the event happens or in the
middle of the event? Which characters will you need? If you have to add characters,
who could they be?) Finally, give them the Building a Story Worksheet and a
clipboard to record all of their decisions. See attached Building a Story Worksheet.
B. Now, give each group five minutes to cast their parts. Working on group compromise
and decision making skills (Objective 4.01. 4.02, 4.03), they have three options in
making a decision: Give up what you want, Share, or the game “Rock, Paper,
Scissors”.
C. Next, give them five minutes to create their first five lines of dialogue that tells the
audience who they are, where they are, and what they want. Give them some blank
paper for their clipboard and ask for a volunteer to write the dialogue in correct script
format. Remind them that this is a rough draft of their script. They will be making
lots of additions and corrections as they go, so they will need to write in pencil and
have an eraser. (Sometimes they will just start talking instead of including important
information, so this step seems to help. For example, in this script from the Lost
15
Colony, this scene would not be very clear if the underlined information was not
included:
Sailor: Land ho! Land ho! Captain White, I believe we’ve reached
it/Roanoke Island.
White: Finally, we’ve reached our new home. I hope some of Sir Walter
Raleigh’s houses are still standing.
D. Ask each group to stay seated and just share their first five lines of dialogue. As a
class, evaluate if the scene clearly communicates whom the characters are, where they
are, what they want, and what gets in the way. If they need to include more
information, the class can help with their ideas for other dialogue.
E. After they have the beginning first five lines, they may work on their own finishing
the rest of the scene. They should have a few students willing to take turns writing
the dialogue as they practice. Remind them to use their worksheet and the textbook
to include all the important historical facts.
*If you have the space and are comfortable with the noise level, let them stand and move
in their group area to improvise and practice the rest of their scene. If you have access to
them, offer chairs, desks, and blocks to aid them in creating the setting. For those who
are not used to a lot of movement, group the students at desks and tables and allow them
to stand up and practice only after the script is written down.
Lesson 3:
A. Give each group about five minutes for a “warm-up” practice of their scene.
B. Have each group perform their historical scene for the class. Offer colonial costumes
for their performance, if you have access to them.
C. After each scene, have the audience share something from the scene that they liked
and a suggestion they would make. Also, use the Performance Rubric to evaluate the
scene.
D. Have the students write a reflection paragraph of what they learned and experienced
in their folders.
Assessment:
The students group work will be self-evaluated and teacher-evaluated using the Group
Work Rubric on an individual basis. A group grade will be given for both the script and
the performance using a rubric. The Reflection paragraph can also be used as an
evaluation tool.
Special Considerations:
This lesson assumes that students have a working drama vocabulary, including dialogue,
monologue, and objective and the basics of story building including, beginning, middle,
end, character, setting, problem. They must have practice improvising the dialogue from
a story or text. They should also have extensive experience at working together as a
group including the necessary skills of decision-making and compromising in order to
cast parts and plan the scene. They must also know how to record their dialogue in a
script format. Teaching script formatting can be included in this lesson, but it will
require another class time and should be included before the students begin their
practicing.
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You can do this lesson with no background in script writing, but the students must be
given enough time to practice their lines and the sequence. They may also want to write
down their lines in order to remember them, but do not be concerned that their writing is
in script format.